Oscillating and overload releasing means for wipe forming assemblage of metal forming machines



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oscnLmmc AND OVERLOADRELEASING MEANS FOR WIPE FORMING ASSEMBLAGE 0F METAL FORMING MACHINES Filed Dec. 18. 1958.

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. I

ATTORNEY.

- 7D.IR. \IIQVIHITEIJIVIAN 7 I ,OSCILIQATING AND OVERLOAD RELEA SING MEANS: FOR-WIPE FORMING ASSEMBLAGE 0F METAL FORMING MACHINES Filed Dec. 1a, 1958- I 1 4-Sheets-She e't 2;

4. 2:? ATTORNEY OSCILLATING AND OVERLOADRELEASING MEANS FOR WIPE FORMING ASSEMBLAGE. on METAL FORMING MACHINES Filed Dec. 1a, 1958 1 7 I Y 4 sheetsesheetfi INVENTOR. M 4. WW,

3 ATTORNEY OSCILLATING AND OVERLOAD RELEASING MEANS FOR WIPE FORMING ASEMBLAGE OF METAL FORMING MACHINES Donald R. Whiteman, Maple Heights, Ohio, assignor to Tieogyril Bath Company, Solon, Ohio, a corporation 0 Filed Dec. 18, 1958, Ser. No. 781,403

4 Claims. (Cl. 1 53-40 This invention relates to the wipe forming mechanisms of Wipe forming machines of the general type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,514,830, issued July 11, 1950, to Cyril 1. Bath, and particularly to new and improved wipe forming mechanisms of which the power means which is operable for advancing the wipe forming shoe to apply yielding pressure to the metal for forming it against the side face of the forming die and for retracting the shoe is operable also for swivelling the shoe so as to change the angularity of the shoe wiping face relative to the direction of travel of the shoe toward the side face of the die.

In addition, the wipe forming mechanism is supplemented by a latching mechanism by virtue of which the shoe can be latched in any one of an infinite number of swivelled positions. Further, the latching mechanism is operative to release the wipe forming mechanism upon predetermined excessive components of force or moments imposed on the wipe forming mechanism in a direction transversely of the normal line of thrust of travel of the shoetoward the side face of the die so that damage to the wipe forming mechanism and certain other parts of the machine is prevented, this feature being an improve ment on the safety latch release device for wipe forming machines disclosed in the copending application, Serial No. 759,075 of Peter P. Matthews, filed September 4, 1958.

As disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,810,421, issued October 22, 1957 to Dolney et 21., it is desirable for many reasons that the wipe forming shoe be anrranged so that the shoe can be swivelled about an axis offset from the rotational axis of the die supporting table so as to dispose its wiping face at different angles to the normal direction of travel of the shoe toward the side face of the die. It is desirable also that the axis about which the shoe swivels be spaced a considerable distance from "the table so that the direction of application of force against the shoe by reaction with the die is as nearlyas practicable parallel to the direction of travel of the shoe toward the die.

Further, the swivelling axis of the shoe is maintained in relation to the shoe support so that the turning moments imposed upon the support by the reactionary forces are effectively distributed.

Specifically, in the present invention, the angularity of the shoe relative to its direction of travel toward the die is effected by means of a pair of piston and cylinder assemblages arranged at opposite sides of the swivelling axis of a swivelled shoe carriage, but the wipe forming mechanism is supplemented by a brake on the shoe carriage which cooperates with the support of the carriage so as to latch the carriage against swivelling in each of an infinite number of angular positions, selectively, whereupon the same piston and cylinder assemblages become operable to cause the shoe carriage and its support to move toward and away from the side face of the die. The mechanism includes a spring applied brake, with means for adjusting the pressure of the spring so that the brake atent O M 2 can be rendered operative to release the shoe carriage for swivelling if the pressure on the shoe tending to swing it about the swivelling axis exceeds a predetermined value.

Various objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description wherein reference is made to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is 'a fragmentary top plan view of a wipe forming machine embodying the principles of the present invennon;

Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical longitudinal and cross sectional views, respectively, of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1 and are taken on lines 2-2 and 3-3, respectively, of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the brake, part thereof being shown in section for clearness in illustration; and

Fig. 5 is a hydraulic flow and control diagram used for operating the piston and cylinder assemblage of the wipe forming mechanism.

The words horizontal, vertical, horizontally and vertically and the like, as used hereinafter in the description and claims, are used for convenience in describing the relative positions of the partsand not as absolutes, inasmuch as the invention is illustrated as embodied in a machine in which a turntable is arranged with its rotational axis extending vertically. Obivously, the entire machine can be disposed so that the axis of the turntable is other than vertical so that the axis of the turntable is other than vertical so long as the relative positions of the parts are maintained.

Referring to the drawings, the invention is shown as embodied in a wipe forming machine comprising a conventional frame on which a table 1 and a wipe forming assemblage 2 are mounted for rotation relative to each other about a predetermined axis. For convenience in illustration, the table is shown as one which is rotatable about an upright axis and the wipe forming assemblage is shown as one which is in fixed position on the frame, the embodiment of the invention in the type of wipe forming machine wherein the table is held fixed in position and the wipe forming assemblage is mounted on a frame 7 portion for swinging about the table being readily apversible rotary power means so that the table can be rotated in opposite directions, selectively.

Connected to the frame 4 and extending alongside the table is a frame extension 7 having guideways 8 which extend therealong, preferably parallel to a tangent to the table. Mounted in the guideways 8 for reciprocation lengthwise thereof so as to effect travel endwise of the side face die D is a platform 10. The platform 10 is movable to different positions along the guideway by virtue of a reversible fluid pressure operated piston and cylinder assemblage 11, including a piston 12 reciprocabl'e in the cylinder 13 attached to the frame extension 7 and having a piston rod 14 fixedly connected, as indicated at 15, to the platform 10.

On the platform 10 is a transverse slideway 16 which extends generally toward and away from the table 1 in a plane parallel to the top of the table. Mounted in the slideway 16 for reciprocation toward and away from the table in a plane parallel to the top of the table is a sliding shoe support 20.

On the support 20 is an upright pivot means or post 21 on which a shoe carriage 22 is mounted for swivelling about the axis of the post 21. For this purpose, the carn'age 22 is provided with a bearing element '23 which Patented Aug. 16, 1960 v 3 rotatively engages complementary bearing surfaces on the post 21. The carriage 22 is provided with a shoe supporting member 24 having a forward face exposed toward the table suitable and having ways 25 by-which a wipe forming shoe 26 is mounted on the carriage. The shoe may be mounted fixedly in different adjusted positions along the ways 25 or, as described in US. Letters Patent No. 2,806,506, issued September 17, 1957, to August Yurka, it may be mounted in the ways 25 for vertical sliding movement and moved along the ways 25 by suitable power means. The shoe supporting member 24 is connected to the bearing element 23 by suitable top and bottom walls 27 and 28, respectively.

A torque reducing transmission, indicated generally at 30, is mounted on the carriage 22. In the form illustrated, this transmission is a mechanical gear transmission and comprises a shaft 31 rotatably mounted in a suitable bearing portion 32 of the carriage 22. A gear 33 is fixed- 1y connected to the lower end of the shaft 31 and a larger gear 3-1- is fixedly connected to the upper end of the shaft. The gear 34 is drivingly connected to a gear 35 on a shaft 36 which is mounted for rotation in fixed position on the carrier 22. The shaft 36, in turn, is connected to, and for rotation with, a brake drum member 37 which is engaged by suitable brake shoe members 38.

As best illustrated in Fig. 4, the brake provided by members 37 and 38 is one which is spring released. It may be applied by any conventional means, diagrammatically shown as air pressure, supplied from a tank T through a suitable fitting 39, the application of fluid pressure to the brake being controlled by a conventional flow control valve, indicated at V.

Mounted on the support 20 is a hold-down device 40 which engages a complementary hold-down device 41 on the carriage 22 so as to relieve the post 21 from excessive stresses during the wipe forming operation. On the inner face of the hold-down shoulder 40 is a ring gear segment 42 which is in driving engagement with the gear 33 of the shaft 32 so as to rotatably drive the gear 33 in opposite directions upon swivelling of the carriage 22 in opposite directions about the axis of the pivot means 21, respectively. Thus, upon swivelling of the carriage 22, power is transmitted from the carriage through the gear 42 to the gear 33, and thereby through the shaft 32, gears 30 and 35, and shaft 36 to the brake drum member 37. As illustrated, the transmission mechanism thus provided is a torque reducing transmission and thus the brake can be smaller than would be required were it necessary for the brake to withstand the full torque tending to rotate the carriage 22 about the axis of the pivot means 21.

By manipulating the brake, therefore, the carriage 22 can be locked in any swivelled position desired about the axis of the pivot means 21 and held fixedly in said position, subject to release only when the torque tending to swing it about the axis of the pivot means 21 exceeds a predetermined amount. This amount can be predetermined by setting the pressure at which pressure fluid is admitted to the brake.

In order to swivel the shoe carriage about the axis of the pivot means or post 21, and also to move the shoe carriage and its support 20 toward and away from the table, yieldable pressure applying means are provided. Preferably, the yieldable pressure applying means comprise a pair of piston and cylinder assemblages, although, if desired, one assemblage may be used, particularly in smaller machines in which the power is not too excessive.

Referring to the drawings, therefore, reversible power means, preferably in the form of two reversible fluid pressure operated piston and cylinder assemblages 50, are provided, these assemblages being mounted on the platform and extending generally parallel to the slideway 16. These assemblages are arranged equidistantly at opposite sides of a plane through the axis of the pivot means 21 and parallel to the assemblages so as to balance the applied forces. Since the assemblages are the same in form and function, only one will be described in detail.

As illustrated, each assemblage 50 includes a cylinder 51 which is pivoted at its midportion, indicated at 52, to the platform 10. A piston 53 having a rod 54 is reciprocable in the cylinder 51. The rod 54 is pivotally connected to the shoe supporting member 24 of the shoe carriage 22, the pivotal connection being eccentric to the axis of the post 21.

This arrangement permits the cylinders to swing transversely of the axis of the pivot means 21, to compensate V for their change in position due to the swivelling of the carriage 22 about the axis of the pivot 21. If desired, the two assemblages 50 may be coupled together by'a transverse tie member such as indicated at 57.

Assuming that the brake drum member 37 is released, it is apparent that the shoe carriage 22 can swing freely about the upright axis of the pivot means or post 21. Accordingly, if one of the assemblages 50 is extended and retracted, the carriage 22 is swivelled about the axis of the pivot 21. Since two assemblages are provided, if only one is to be used for swivelling, the other may have its opposite end vented so as not to interfere with the one operating. However, preferably both are used concurrently, the pressure fluid being admitted to the rod end of one and the head end of the other, concurrently, and vented from the head end of the one and rod end of the other, concurrently, depending upon the direction in which the carriage is to be swivelled.

On the other hand, if the brake is applied, then the piston and cylinder assemblages can be operated concurrently, the pressure being admitted to the head end of each and the rod end of each being connected to the sump, whereby yieldable pressure is applied to the carriage 22 so as to yieldably urge the shoe toward the table and hence into yieldable operative engagement with the side face of the die. If desired, for light work one only of the assemblages 50 can be used for applying pressure, the other being vented to render it idle.

Preferably, the assemblages 50 are arranged equidistantly from a plane through the axis of the pivot means 21 and parallel to the axis of the assemblages, so that, during the application of the shoe to the die, the yieldable power applied by both assemblages is substantially balanced and the brake is called upon only to withstand any slight overbalance.

By the arrangement described, the piston and cylinder assemblages which are used to apply the shoe yieldably to the side face of the die also can be used, by manipulation of the brake and setting of a conventional valve, for swivelling the shoe carriage to different positions about the axis of the pivot means 21.

The axis of the pivot means 21 is preferably about midway between the slideways 8 in the normal position of the wipe forming assemblage. wipe forming, the carriage 22 is maintained in the most retracted position possible as this relieves stresses which would be occasioned were the shoe operating with a large overhang of its supporting parts.

Preferably, also, the axis of the pivot means 21 is kept as near midway between the guideways 8 as possible so that any turning moment imposed on the support 20 and platform 10 are effectively distributed for reducing stresses.

Referring next to the means for manipulating the piston and cylinder assemblages 50, conventional two-way control valves may be used, the valves being reversing valves arranged one to each piston and cylinder assemblage 50. However, remote control is desired, and for this purpose, valves such as illustrated in Fig. 5 may be employed.

Referring to Fig. 5, both of the piston and cylinder assemblages 50 and their valves and circuits are illustrated, but one only is described in detail inasmuch as.

Generally, in stretch and sure fluid is supplied through a line 61 from a pump 62 which is driven by a suitable motor 63'. If desired, the pump may be a variable delivery pump, and pressure may be controlled by a settable relief valve 64.

A line 65 leads from the valve 60 to a suitable sump 66. Leading from the valve are lines 67 and 68 which lead to the rod end and the head end, respectively, of the assemblage 50. The valve 60- has a plug 69 which, in the normal inoperative position, connects the line 61 to the line 65, blocks the line 67, and connects the line 68 to the sump 66 through the line 65. In this condition, piston 53 is locked in retracted position against extension. If, in this condition, it is necessary to move the piston to a more fully retracted condition, due to axial force exerted on the rod 54, the fluid to fill the space created by the displacement can be admitted through a one-way check valve 70 interposed between the sump 66 and the line 67. The valve 70 also prevents drifting of the piston forwardly in event of a partial obstruction in the line 65.

On the other hand, if the valve plug 69 is shifted to the extreme right, pressure fluid is admitted to the rod end of the cylinder 51, urging it to retracted position, and the head end is vented to the sump. If the valve plug 69 is moved to the extreme left, pressure fluid is admitted to the head end of the cylinder 51 and the rod end is connected to the sump.

The valve 60 is one which is normally centered in the position shown by means of return springs 71 and is operated by small hydraulic piston and cylinder assemblages 72 and 73 These piston and cylinder as semblages, in turn, are connected as illustrated, to a solenoid operated control valve 74. Control pressure fluid at a pressure less than that supplied by the line 6 1 is supplied to the valve by a line 75 from any convenient source. The valve plug 76 is normally held in intermediate position illustrated by means of return springs 77 and is manipulated by solenoids 78 from a remote control station, in a well known manner. When the valve plug 16 is moved to the extreme right, pressure is supplied to one of the assemblages 73 and vented from the other hydraulic assemblage 72 and, when the valve is moved to extreme left, the pressure and venting with respect to the assemblages 72 and 73 are reversed. In the intermediate position shown, the hydraulic assemblages 7 2 and 73 are interconnected so that the springs 71 position the plug 69 in intermediate position.

By manipulating of the valve 74, the assemblages 50 can be operated concurrently in the same direction, either to extended or retracted position; one can be operated to the extended position while the other is concurrently operated to the retracted position, and, if desired, one can be operated to the extended position while the other one is vented or hydraulically locked. Thus a large numer of manipulations are possible by the manipulation of the valves and the manipulation of the valves is determined by the requirements of the particular machine. Further, the assemblages 50 can be used singly or together. Obviously, such valves can be operated by the cams, timers, and the like, so as to perform their operations at the required position.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a wipe forming machine, a die supporting horizontal table, a wipe forming assemblage including a shoe carriage, a side face die supported on the table, means supporting the table and assemblage for movement relative to each other for moving the shoe along the die face, power means for effecting said relative movement, a movable support supporting the shoe carriage, a frame supporting the movable support for relative movement in a horizontal plane toward and away from the die face, whereby a shoe on the carriage can be applied to the side face of said die, upright pivot means offset from said die face and connecting the shoe carriage to the support for swivelling about the axis of the pivot means rela tive to the support, reversible power means on the frame and connected to the carriage for applying force to the carriage at a location in eccentric relation to the axis of the pivot means in a direction generally toward and away from the side face of the die for swivelling said carriage about the axis of the pivot means, and means for holding the carriage in predetermined swivelled positions, selectively, about the axis of the pivot means, and for releasing the carriage for swivelling, selectively, whereby, when the carriage is so held, the said reversible power means moves the carriage and support toward and away from the table, selectively, while the carriage and support are in fixed relation to each other, and when the carriage is released, the same reversible power means swivels the carriage on the support, and means to control the reversible power means.

2. A structure according to claim ,1 wherein the reversible power means comprises a pair of piston and cylinder assemblages mounted on the frame and connected to the shoe carriage at opposite sides of the axis of the pivot means and disposed with their axes directed generally toward and away from the table in a plane parallel to the plane of the table, and further including valve means to admit pressure fluid to the head ends of the assemblages concurrently, and to connect the head end of at least one of the assemblages to a source of fluid pressure, and to release the head end of the other, and to reverse said connection.

3. The structure according to claim 1 wherein when the valve means is operative to release the head end of said other assemblage, it connects the rod end of the other assemblage to the source of pressure fluid.

4. A structure according to claim 1 wherein the shoe support has an internal ring gear segment coaxial with the pivot means, the holding means includes a rotary brake member and a cooperable stationary brake member, a power transmission including a train of speed increasing gears having an input gear driven by said ring gear and an output gear in driving relation to the rotary brake member, and the rotary brake member, the stationary brake member, and the transmission are mounted on said shoe carriage.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,188,766 Buckley Ian. 30, 1940 2,681,717 Spurgeon June 22, 1954 2,746,583 Blevins May 22, 1956 2,810,421 Dolney Oct. 22, 1957 2,888,973 Yurka June 2, 1959 

